Each day work began around 7:30 AM... Ricky had to leave our house even earlier because it's a hike just to get there
(above: the room before)
(left: ceiling is done, walls are fixed, and gravel is down.. now ready for the cement.)
The adobe walls were patched and plastered. Then they tore up the dirt floor using some tools which really aren't for the job, but were something like pick-axes.
(Above Right: Victor's father, owner of the space we are renting)
Interesting story from day 1:
While tearing apart the dirt, Ricky came across something that turned out to be a little ceramic tea cup and plate. Victor's dad saw what he had found, took it and reburied it, saying that the dishes were given as "pago a la tierra madre" (payment to mother earth) when the house was originally build some 40-50 years ago. The "pago a la tierra" is an Incan tradition that is still practiced today. He said it would be really bad luck if the dishes were removed... so they were reburied and are now underneath our cement floor... somewhere.
(Left: break time)
Thursday, Day 3 of cement project:
the sand, rock and cement bags were delivered. They were dropped off (more like dumped off) in two truck loads to the road, which has no name, that enters San Marcos. The only thing is that the road is above on the hill, much further above the place where we actually needed the stuff. So this day was spent shoveling the materials into bags and carrying them down several stairs and over to the room. 
(Left: hanging out with Rosa, the mom of some of the kids who come to the kids service.)
Friday, Day 4 of cement project:
the guys laid the gravel, then began mixing the cement with the sand and rock mixture. There was no official "place" to mix, nor were there really any tools even, just a few shovels and buckets. The mixture was made on the sidewalk outside the room...and mixed by hand (see pics above). In the early morning, Amy and I hiked up and brought sandwiches and soda to the workers this day. It was a good time to take pictures and for fellowship! 
(Right: Jim, a 3 year old from our children's ministry, looking on as the men work.)
(Below Right: Jim and Erik; Erik showing me his lion face)
Some of the kids asked me if I worked too. I just chuckled because I doubt I have the strength to do what the guys did. "No..." i told them, "i just kept busy praying that it wouldn't rain!"
(Left: the cement has been dyed red)
Saturday, Day 5 of cement project:
we dropped off 3 kilos of red powder, which is used to color the floor, instead of leaving it cement grey. The powder, mixed with sand and cement, was added as the top layer, leaving a nice red floor.
Tuesday, Day 6: The following week we returned to paint the walls yellow... 
While painting, several people stopped in to check on the progress (and to see , and each time they would ask the most obvious question, "hmmm...yellow huh?" Apparently some people didn't care for the color. But we agreed that it is a good color for a kid's room...
We have been blessed with 50+ kids each Saturday . We are glad to have a place indoors for when it rains... and the rainy season has just begun. We are just praying that we can fit all our kids inside. Soon, we will need another place, even bigger, but we are trusting God to provide it in his timing.
Saturday, October 28th will be our first official day.
No comments:
Post a Comment